“Where did you find it?” he’d asked, turning his attention to me with a frown. He’d been distant and distracted since he came to breakfast.
“Below a stack of magazines on the coffee table in my room. It’s an article from that day, in thePalm Springs Register. About Sunny’s death at the Desert Sunrise. There’s a picture of her body, covered in a sheet.”
“How horrible,” Jamie murmured.
I’d been a wreck since I found it this morning. It brought back that morning so clearly in my mind. Jamie seemed haunted by it too. She looked wide-eyed and stared at Ryan.
“That doesn’t make any sense,” Ryan said. “Do you have it with you?”
“No, it’s back in my room. It’s creepy,” I said.
“I have no idea how it wound up in your room, but feel free to get rid of it,” Ryan said. And then he turned back to his breakfast, end of discussion. I had to wonder if he’d saved it all these years and thought that he likely had. I decided not to push it.
The table had fallen silent by the time Roxy showed up. It was obvious that the two of them are a bit out of sync, but I guess hosting all your long-lost so-called friends for a weekend could be a bit taxing on a relationship. I mean, we’re just guests, and spending this much time with each other is already getting on my nerves.
Brett and Amelia have been hanging out in the other part of the kitchen, fortunately. There’s something that bothers me about him. It seems Amelia might be getting sick of him too. Her arms are folded across her chest as she speaks to him.
Despite my best efforts to ignore his attention, he keeps flirting with Jamie and me, and it’s clearly driving Amelia nuts. As soon as I arrived for breakfast, he turned his attention to me, asking why someone as gorgeous as me was still single and all that sort of stuff. I was about to call him on it when Roxy arrived.His playboy rapport, sports analogies, and sexual innuendos are ridiculous. And Jamie and, clearly, Amelia agree.
Roxy fills her plate at the buffet with exaggerated glee, plopping a pile of eggs onto her plate enough for two people and piling up a stack of bacon. That’s so out of character for her. She barely eats. Maybe she and Ryan had a night of romance? Although, I don’t get the same vibe of pulsing desire flowing between Roxy and Ryan, not that I ever really felt that with the two of them. Ryan and Sunny, well, that was a different story.
Roxy notices I’m watching her and flashes a smile. To the room at large she says, “I hope everyone slept well. I know I did. It’s the desert air. It’s so calming, so relaxing.” Roxy is practically dancing as she makes her way over to the table. “It makes me fall in love with this place all over again. The way the sun hits the mountains at the perfect angle. You’re all glowing sitting there at the table. Paradise.”
Despite her Disney princess appearance and speech about her little slice of paradise, Roxy looks off. Puffy even. Hmm. Interesting. She has yet to take a bite from her mountain of eggs or the stack of bacon.
“What’s on the agenda for today, Madam President?” I ask. I watch Ryan carry his plate to the sink without saying another word as Roxy sits down. I stand and clear my plate. I’m only able to sit and eat breakfast for so long, no matter how good it tastes. Sorry, Roxy.
“There are so many choices. You can go on a hike, lounge bythe pool, play pickleball. Ryan designed a tennis court that holds two pickleball courts,” Roxy says.
Oh brother. I don’t play pickleball, but knowing this is a competitive crowd, I have a feeling they’ll force me into it.
Jamie is rinsing the dishes at the sink. She turns off the water and hurries to her husband’s side. “That sounds fun. Greer and I are a team. We love to play together. But I’m game for a hike first before it gets too hot out.”
From across the kitchen, I watch as Amelia points her finger at Brett and says, “You’re mine.”
“Whatever you say,” Brett says as they rejoin the group. “You know I’ve taught pickleball for the parks and recreation department. I even host pickleball tournaments. You’re lucky to have me.”
“You’re lucky to haveme,” Amelia says, clearly unimpressed by his pickleball prowess.
I watch Roxy walk toward Ryan, but he’s moved away from her and is standing next to me at the sink.
Roxy stops halfway to her destination and turns to face the table, smiling stiffly. “I think we need to inject a little fun into our game. New rule: No one can be with their regular partner,” she proclaims.
I roll my eyes. I don’t have a regular partner, haven’t since forever, and Roxy knows that. Leave it to her to let me know I’m inferior in so many ways, including the fact I’m always single.
“In that case, what do you say, Beth? Want to be my partner?” Ryan says, stepping into the awkwardness. “I can’t promise we’ll win, but I promise we’ll have a good time trying.”
I smile, showing my dimple. Ryan to the rescue. Roxy’s own smile freezes on her face. Brett turns and says, “Jamie, let’s be a team. Unlike Ryan, Icanpromise we’ll kick their asses. Let’s get playing.”
Jamie looks at Greer. He says, “Go on, I’m fine. I don’t really feel like playing anyway. I have a stomachache. In fact, if you all will excuse me, I’m going to rummage in your bag for some Pepto-Bismol.”
“Of course, sure, feel better,” Jamie says.
“Let’s go,” Brett says, shooing Jamie out the door.
“Come on, Beth. This will be fun. A little competition is good for everyone, sometimes at least,” Ryan says, touching my arm.
I look at Roxy, her face flushed in anger. I take a deep breath. “Sure, it’s just a game,” I say. “Let’s go play it. Don’t worry, Roxy. Ryan and I will lose, and you can jump right into my spot.”
